


you put your arms around me and i'm home

by DelicatePoem



Series: designer clothes & hot coffee [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fashion & Couture, Femslash, Fluff, I just had to write it, Inspired by The Devil Wears Prada, Inspired by a Movie, New York City, Press and Tabloids, Romance, Some Plot, idk what's this okay, set after Reunion Wears Prada, some smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 10:36:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19171540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelicatePoem/pseuds/DelicatePoem
Summary: [Set after Reunion Wears Prada]. A few days after sales skyrocket for Runway, and their relationship is already out on every tabloid, blog and magazine possible, Emma receives a text from Lena, who's baffled she wasn't told before everyone else. Being Lena, she demands they have dinner to clarify things, of course.Or, the one where the word 'distance' is crossed out from our favorite couple's vocabulary, and Lena and Jefferson speculate about Emma's relationship with Regina.





	you put your arms around me and i'm home

**Author's Note:**

> what is this???? yes, i'm posting a really self-indulgent thing for this universe i really love.  
> this is set a few days after the events of Reunion Wears Prada, so it won't make much sense if you haven't read the previous installments.
> 
> i'll post the next parts soon, i promise! i've divided it because... Emma and Regina really wanted to have sex and that changed my plans? expect smut next jkasjksakj  
> i'm sorry this one is so short, i'm terrible
> 
> (also, i didn't have a beta for this so please be gentle.)
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL, enjoy!!!

**February 2008**

Emma is in the middle of placing her organized mess of papers inside her messenger bag when her Iphone 1 — a present from Regina at Emma’s twenty-sixth birthday last October (Regina can’t not go over the top with her gifts) — blips and vibrates three times in a row on her desk. She cranes her neck to catch a glimpse at the notifications popping up and snorts loudly.

She can practically _hear_ her posh accent.

 **Lena:** Emma Swan. You better explain yourself.

Immediately followed with:

 **Lena:** How did you manage to hide this from me!!!

(Three exclamation points. Almost like it was a personal attack to her... Emma rolls her eyes.)

 **Lena:** We are having dinner tomorrow and Jefferson will be joining us

Emma grapples for her phone and replies to the demanding texts, agreeing to meet over dinner despite Lena’s complete disregard for any plans she might have had.

Seriously, she could drive Emma insane sometimes with her self-centered attitude.

Of course, Emma could admit she herself _had_ been a bit self-centered last year, very busy working on her promotion (coming up soon!) and being covert about her relationship with Regina.

She’s so glad they don’t have to hide anymore.

Pushing the last few papers into her bag, Emma sends a text to Regina saying she’ll be at the townhouse soon and shuts off her work for the day. Next, she messages Ted to let him know she’s ready.

Regina insisted Emma should let her hire a personal driver to get her to and from the NY Mirror, just because she  _ can,  _ and said this way she won’t worry too much, since Emma’s office is far from the townhouse. It does take longer to get there by car than by subway — she’d say around forty minutes, on a good day — though she understands where Regina’s coming from.

“Hey, Ted,” she says later as she takes a seat inside the town car.

“Good evening, Ms. Swan.”

She uses the time to reflect upon the dinner invitation. How long has it been since she last saw Lena? Besides the launch of  _ Runway Men,  _ of course. Or  _ Jefferson? _ She bites her lip in thought, hands running back and forth on the fabric of her pants absentmindedly.

Was it… around March last year? Or April? She narrows her eyes, hugging her messenger bag close to her chest. An outsider would probably think she’s seriously afraid of getting robbed or feel threatened by the look on her face, but she’s really just trying to remember.

_ Oh! _ Lena got promoted in March.

She almost nods to herself for her discovery, but  _ that  _ would definitely be another level of New York insanity. But hey, she’s kinda sleep deprived here, running on bad, bitter coffee from the office and four hours of sleep on both nights  _ combined. _

(She can’t wait to get lulled to sleep by her lover, who can’t seem to sleep well if Emma doesn’t hold her in her arms. Emma is not complaining. Would never.)

She lets her head fall back against the backseat with a sigh.

Lena’s voice had been full of emotion through the phone when she called that day she got the promotion, Emma remembers — they met on one of those high-end karaoke bars and drank lots of expensive alcohol (Lena’s treat) to celebrate. That was… almost a year ago, and she winces at the sudden awareness.

But yeah, she’d gotten really drunk that night. Emma’s still uncertain of how she didn’t spill a single detail about her relationship, considering she’d done so when Ruby asked — she and Regina weren’t even dating then (and Emma didn’t even know Ruby that well yet)!

It’s a miracle, really, how she managed to keep her friendship with Ruby somewhat intact during those months where she basically complained she missed Regina and that she had work to do, alternating between the two. Whenever things would get tough, there Ruby was to offer her a $12 sandwich from this overpriced cafeteria at SoHo.

But she digresses… the point is… the point is...

Her friends are awesome?

Emma rubs her face, to rub the sleepiness away too, but it doesn’t really work.

She shuffles around in her seat to get more comfortable. There’s still about twenty minutes before she’s home. Ted can wake her up when they arrive…

Before she’s lulled to sleep, she reflects that she kept in touch with Lena and Jefferson, yes, sending a few emails and texts here and there, but it doesn’t matter they’re awesome if she doesn’t make some time to see them.

Time to change that.

[SQ]

Glasses pushed down her nose, Regina writes down on a post-it: **_The size of the font is incorrect._ ** and places it next to the clashing box of text. She rolls her neck in hopes of alleviating some of the kinks caused by her terrible habit of _not_ going upstairs to her home office, to a proper chair and desk.

Instead, she stays downstairs, waiting for Emma, who’d stayed at her own apartment for the last two days. She’d been working on a deadline and had to be close to the _Mirror_ for some reason.

Regina fails to understand why she _had_ to do that. She could have just worked from the townhouse, with perfectly functioning Wi-Fi and comfortable offices at her disposition. Regina certainly would not have minded. And Emma did not get a wink of sleep before she crashed in her apartment last night, she’s sure.

Honestly, she should be worried at how _important_ Emma has become.

For the first time in her life, she is not.

The only things that come to mind are Emma’s goofy, honest smile, her attentiveness, her thoughtfulness, her sweet laugh. Regina’s heart does somersaults at the thought.

It’s so freeing, to love wholeheartedly and be loved in return. To desire and be desired. To cherish and be cherished.

Yes, she is putty in Emma’s hands, though for the first time in her life she is not afraid of it.

She embraces it, even if it makes her the sappiest human being alive.

(She’d never say all this to Emma, but her insufferable woman just _knows_ it.)

Regina goes back to the Book with a fond smile.

**_Space between the lines is missi—_ **

She removes the pen from the post-it when her very expensive glasses are tossed aside on the couch. “Emma!” she admonishes instantly, unable to stay serious when Emma covers her eyes with both hands.

“Guess who,” is all she hears, whispered in her ear, right before Emma nibbles it playfully. Regina shivers.

“Oh, I have no idea,” she replies, chuckling at her girlfriend’s silly antics.

“Don’t open your eyes yet, please.”

Regina gives her a small nod of assent. Emma removes her hands to give her a peck on her cheek, then there’s the sound of rustling until the Book is set aside, probably close to her glasses, the pen taken from her fingers. Regina cannot stop smiling, her pearly-white teeth shining.

“Hey, don’t peek!” Emma says with a laugh.

She sighs, amused. “Alright.” Letting her legs drop forward, her bare feet touching the floor once more, she hums happily when Emma takes that as a sign to straddle her.

Regina forgets to continue complying with Emma’s request — she can’t really help it.  It’s impossible not to smile at the sight of Emma, after what felt like an eternity without her.

“Hey...” Emma pouts. “You opened your eyes.”

“Can you blame me, dear?” Regina raises an eyebrow. “It’s been two days since I’ve seen you.” Before Emma can articulate an answer, she deftly removes her hair tie and brings her closer, as soon as she’s able to slip her fingers through messy blonde curls.

Pressing her lips firmly against Emma’s, she then kisses her once, twice, three times before Emma finally deepens the kiss, biting on her bottom lip just enough to make her moan, an ache settling between her legs. “I’ve missed you,” Regina admits when Emma leans back, smiling.

“I’ve missed you more,” Emma replies. The words are said softly, sweetly, nearly whispered against her lips.

Regina’s eyes flutter shut when Emma plants a lasting kiss on her cheek this time, then shuffles to get herself out of Regina’s lap, a mutual understanding that this will have to continue later — they try to avoid getting too carried away for Henry's sake. 

“How are you?” Regina asks.

Emma leans her forehead against Regina’s shoulder and groans. “These past few days were hell. I’m exhausted.”

“Hmm. I’m glad you can get some rest now,” Regina murmurs, touching Emma’s head.

“I took a nap in the car,” Emma comments, nuzzling herself closer to her. “I just hope I didn’t snore. Now  _ that  _ would be embarrassing.”

“I remember you mentioned I’m the one who snores—”

“You do. But it’s adorable.” A light kiss is pressed to Regina’s neck, and then she unwraps herself from Regina’s torso.

Regina sighs, pretending to be annoyed at being called ‘adorable’ of all things, but doesn’t try to defend herself (unlike the last time they discussed this).

“Why were my eyes closed, anyway?” she asks instead, reaching up to tuck a strand of Emma’s hair behind her ear. She is not considered a particularly tactile person in general, but she cannot seem to help it when Emma is around. 

Emma shrugs. “I wanted to make a surprise and kiss you first, but I guess you beat me to it.” She exaggerates her pout this time, making obnoxious sniffling sounds.

“Stop it,” Regina chuckles. Rolling her eyes when Emma continues being dramatic, she nudges her with her shoulder. “Idiot.”

“Yup. But _ your  _ idiot, Regina.” Emma kisses her nose. “It’s an important distinction.”

“Yes. Very important,” Regina drawls, though she can’t quite keep the smile from her face.  _ “My  _ idiot.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on twitter and tumblr as @delicatepoem!  
> let me know what you think ♥


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